good morning. the race is on. president obama and mitt romney criss-crossing the nation over the holiday weekend. the republican challenger touching down in storm-ravaged louisiana, the president headed there next. will it help them sway the undecideds? health scare. officials saying that some 10,000 people who stayed in tent cabins at yosemite national park this summer may be at risk for contracting a deadly virus. and eastwooding. fresh off his performance at the republican convention, movie icon clint eastwood has inspired a new phenomenon, and it's a big hit online today, saturday, september 1st, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm jenna wolfe. and empty chairs across the country have never been so happy before, ever. i mean, empty chairs everywhere are finally getting their time in the spotlight wait until the chair says something. you know who else was almost sitting next to an empty chair? >> here we go. >> this girl right here. i don't ever want to say anything bad about you because i adore you. >> want me to tell everyone was happened? >> go ahead. >> my alarm didn't go off. i remember specifically setting it for 4:15. >> was it a.m. or p.m.? remember the "seinfeld" debate? up or down? >> i tweeted out my predicament and one response said "i would think that a big-time network"

would have somebody call me. >> and you did get a call, didn't you? he's never done anything wrong in his life. let me bask in this a little longer before -- >> two hours of this? >> oh, honey, this is going on all day. two hours, you'll be lucky. we are talking about politics and we're talking about getting into this long holiday weekend. a lot of you are kicking up your feet. there is no rest for president obama and mitt romney with election day just over two months away. >> fresh off the republican convention, the former massachusetts governor traveled to louisiana on friday to assess the damage there, and now the president is planning a trip to the region himself. coming up, we're going to get more on that battle for some key states. also ahead, just in time for you to hit the road, gas prices on the rise today. in fact, they're higher than they've ever been on a labor day weekend. is hurricane isaac to blame? we'll have more on that and a forecast of where prices are headed. plus, shocking video of a 13-year-old student being bullied in class. the twist, his teacher was taking part in it as well, and

now his parents want to know why the teacher wasn't fired. >> we mentioned that you were late this morning, right? >> yeah, pretty sure. >> want to make sure we got that. also ahead, rumors that "american idol" judge randy jackson is on his way out or perhaps taking on a new role. big changes for the show that's already seen some big changes this season. but we want to begin with presidential politics. nbc's kristen welker is in urbandale, iowa, where president obama is holding a campaign event later today. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, lester. well, it is going to be a busy holiday weekend for president obama. he will be campaigning in key battleground states, starting with right here in iowa. this is a state that holds special meaning to him and helped propel him to the white house back in 2008. his next stop is colorado. then on monday, he is going to step away from the campaign trail temporarily to visit louisiana to meet with the folks there who were impacted by hurricane isaac. of course, his visit comes on the heels of mitt romney, who

visited on friday. now, both campaigns were asked if it was a problem that romney was going to louisiana before president obama. both campaigns said that there was no problem in that. in fact, republican louisiana governor bobby jindal said he's just happy that both men are taking the time to visit. it is also going to be a very busy holiday weekend for mitt romney. he's trying to build on any momentum that he may have gotten from the republican national convention from that all-important speech he gave on thursday night. political analysts say that the speech was effective because it was really one of romney's most personal accounts, but he is getting some criticism for that speech, particularly from the obama campaign, lashing out at him for not mentioning the troops that are in iraq. now, the romney campaign has pushed back and said that the candidates met with the american legion on wednesday, just a day before his speech. the other big speech from the republican national convention, you've been talking about it already this morning, lester, of

course that speech that was given by 82-year-old acting icon clint eastwood, when he gave a performance, essentially interviewing an empty chair that was meant to represent president obama. a lot of people called that performance bizarre, but the romney campaign defended it yesterday. they said the fact that he brought up the high unemployment rate, the fact that he called for a change in leadership made the speech worthwhile. and lester, they also said that the candidate himself felt that the speech was amusing. right now, political analysts watching to see if romney will get any type of a bump on the heels of the rnc. lester? >> kristen welker, thank you so much. ed rendell is the former chairman of the democratic national committee, now an nbc news political analyst, and republican strategist alice stewart served as rich santorum's press secretary when he ran for president. good morning to both of you. thanks for coming on. >> good morning. >> great to be here. >> alice, let me pick up with the clint eastwood speech. a lot of folks talking about it. is that a good thing in the light of this, when the

candidate needs the bounce that people are talking about clint eastwood? >> well, governor romney's certainly getting a bounce after this convention, but the good thing that we did get out of the eastwood speech was the fact that he called attention to the unemployment rate and he said that while obama's a good man and we were excited about him four years ago, he hasn't done the job, and it's time to replace him. and he said we don't need someone in the white house because they're a nice person, but also pointed out that given the dirty campaign tactics, has not been so nice. but as ann romney said, he's a unique person, he gave a unique speech, and i saw the empty chair as a symbol of the empty promises from the obama administration and the fact that we have an empty suit in the white house that's simply been ineffective. >> governor, i want to talk to you. yesterday governor romney visited louisiana to look at the damage from the hurricane. the president will follow up there this coming week. is there a risk of turning a tragedy into politics here? >> no. i think it's important for both men, and i agree with what

governor jindal said, both men come and see the damage that was done and see the good news that when we invested in our infrastructure, like we did to rebuild the levees, that infrastructure investment pays off, and that's a message that both men should think about as they go forward. we need to invest in the american infrastructure to prevent katrinas from happening, and we did that with this recent storm. so, i think it has a significant value. in president obama's case, he can direct federal aid to portions of the state that maybe haven't gotten it up to now. so, i think it's important for both men to have gone. >> governor, i want to get your thoughts on governor romney's appeal to independent voters to say, you know, there's something wrong with the kind of job he's done as president when the best feeling you had is the day you voted for him, essentially he's urging independents to break up with obama. if you were in his shoes, would you use that line as well? is it a potential way to swing those undecided voters away? >> well, it's a way to affix

attention to where the country is. and the question is, a, do independent voters hold the president responsible? most polls say of the president show that voters think the president inherited this mess and has done a halfway decent to good job dealing with it. secondly, though, governor romney's got to tell us how he's going to be different, what are his plans? and his speech, although i thought it was pretty impressive, lester, was very short of any details on what plans he has to get the economy moving. >> well, and i want to turn to alice on that question not only on the economy, but alice, he didn't talk much about foreign policy. did he leave some open blanks that are going to be ripe targets come this week when democrats get together? >> i think he hit all the right points. certainly, as we said, he met with foreign policy leaders earlier in the week, and it's key to the point of jobs and the economy, which is issue number one in this election. it's important to reach out to the independent voters. they're going to decide this election, and it's important to point out the contrast between he and the president.

and he outlined his plan for a better middle class, which includes energy independence, it includes being a champion for small businesses, it includes improving skills for the workers of this country, it includes decreasing the debt and deficit in this country, and the romney/ryan ticket will do that. they're going to rein in the size of government, they're going to be a champion for small business, and that's going to be critical in reducing the debt and deficit in this country, and that's what people are concerned about. independents and republicans and democrats alike. >> all right, we've got to end the conversation there, but my thanks to ed rendell and alice stewart for joining us this morning. >> thank you. >> nbc's coverage of the democratic national convention begins tuesday night at 10:00 eastern/7:00 pacific. once again, here's jenna. >> lester, thank you. now to the massive cleanup effort along the gulf coast in the aftermath of hurricane isaac. nbc's gabe gutierrez is in laplace, louisiana, and joins us now. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: jenna, good morning. here in louisiana, the floodwaters are receding, but thousands of people are

displaced, many are staying in shelters, and today, energy crews are scrambling to restore power. they're coming in from all over the country. at last check, 500,000 people are without power throughout the gulf coast, and the damage stretches from louisiana to mississippi to arkansas. isaac is being blamed for at least five deaths, and the storm dumped 20 inches of rain throughout the region, trapping people in homes. in nearby slidell alone, police officers rescued 150 people from their homes. demand plaquemines parish, officials fear they could find even more bodies in some of those submerged homes. now again, here in parts of louisiana, there are pockets of standing water, but much of the water is receding at this point, and the big problem today will be these power outages as residents deal with muggy conditions and the wiin the wak. jenna? >> gabe gutierrez, thank you

very much. remnants of isaac are drenching parts of the midwest. the weather channel's julie martin is in taylorville, illinois. julie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. well, after such a tough week in the south, isaac, what's left of it, could finally do some good here in the midwest. all of the heavy rain right now is just a little bit to my north. i'm just outside of springfield. but for the first time, farmers here have seen these stalks actually wet after a devastatingly dry summer. in fact, it's a little too late for the corn crop. if you take a look here, you can see a lot of the damage has already been done. we're looking at very small, puny corn stalks that are really not even harvestable crop at this point. what isaac could do here in the midwest, however, is help out the soybean crop, which is a little further along in the growing season. but overall, we're looking at three to five inches here in the midwest and maybe some localized flooding, but we are certainly not going to see that kind of devastating flooding that we did see in states like louisiana and

arkansas. already, though, here outside of springfield, we've picked up a couple of inches overnight, and it's looking like more rain is on the way. so, nonetheless, the grass may get a little greener, and emotionally, it may be a bit of a break for the many farmers here in the midwest who have been struggling all summer long. lester? >> julie martin, thank you. now let's get a check of the rest of this morning's top stories. cnbc's mandy drury is over at the news desk. mandy, good morning. >> good morning, jenna. glad you made it in as well, lester. >> ha! yes. >> good morning, everybody. well, it's one of the last busy weekends at yosemite park and there is a frightening warning from park officials. they say up to 10,000 visitors might have been exposed this summer to the deadly hantavirus. six people became ill since staying in the park in june, two have died. a third person has died following a recent outbreak of legionnaires' disease in chicago. the city's health department ties the outbreak to the main fountain in the lobby of the jw

marriott hotel in downtown chicago. the fountain has been removed. more than one-third of returning u.s. combat veterans deal with some type of mental health issue. president obama is asking the department of affairs to expand suicide prevention efforts. he made the announcement friday at the troops at ft. bliss on the second anniversary of the end of combat operations in iraq. the pentagon is threatening to file criminal charges against the retired navy s.e.a.l. who wrote "no easy day," but the lawyer for mark owen has written to the pentagon, saying his client did everything by the book to make sure he wouldn't disclose any secrets or put his former comrades at risk. the book gives a firsthand account of the mission that took out bin laden at his compound in pakistan. it is due for release on september the 4th. and finally, we leave you with a breathtaking view of eastern china. a number of photographers traveled to one of the highest points on the coast to take pictures of a landscape enveloped in fog.

it lasted for more than three hours before burning off. very beautiful indeed. and that is the news. now it's back to lester, jenna and bill. >> mandy, thanks very much! bill karins is here with a check of the weather forecast. been a busy week, bill. >> for the record, if you get a call from your boss at 5:45 in the morning, it's not really sleeping in. >> that's true. >> you didn't really oversleep. >> i don't regret it. i needed to sleep. so at the end of the day -- >> i don't think there's anyone out there, except for someone who woke up earlier, jenna, who's upset about it. >> i love you. do you understand how much i love you? so much. that much. let's get down to your weekend forecast. the rain from isaac continues to push into the ohio valley and areas will get drenched this weekend. it's not going to be the best holiday weekend in the ohio valley, cloudy with periods of on-and-off rain, so it's good and bad. because of the horrible drought. we love the rain in kansas city, got the first rain in forever. some people telling me they're watering their foundations because houses were settling in the area. so that's how ridiculous it's gotten.

some of the rainfall will push through the holiday weekend into areas of ohio, kentucky eventually, and thunder showers in the southeast will be hit-and-miss, including areas hard hit by isaac, louisiana and mississippi. >> nice morning this morning, partly cloudy skies, showers to the west of us. our view of the city is a nice one. theook at the forecast for labor day weekend and today we might see a shower, higher chance for rain sunday and your complete labor day forecast is coming up a little later. jenna? >> all right, bill, thank you. so, if you're hitting the roads today for the long holiday weekend, a, you are probably leaving a little late, but b, make sure you bring a credit card or plenty of cash. gas prices are at their highest ever for a labor day weekend. cnbc's mandy drury is back to

explain why. mandy, good morning. >> good morning, jenna. >> being the bearer of bad news, we appreciate this. let's look at the latest gas prices and then we'll talk about it. the current national average is $3.83 a gallon. that's compared to $3.53 a gallon just a month ago and $3.63 a gallon a year ago. so, does this mean fewer people are actually fueling up and hitting the road this holiday weekend? >> here's the really interesting thing, jenna, it does not. apparently, according to aaa, they say nearly 33 million americans are going to hit the road this labor day weekend, and that's actually an increase of about 3% over last year. the thing is, because as you said, you know that when you say we're looking at the highest gas prices ever for a labor day weekend, it might even eat into some people's travel budgets. so, they'll say, okay, i'm still going to go on my vacation, but when i get there, i might cut back on things or take a train or take a shorter trip. but according to aaa, still a lot of people going on their trips. >> because of hurricane isaac, a lot of the oil companies had to stop their the gas in the gulf

region. does that mean that after the holiday weekend, we're going to start seeing prices -- >> well, we would certainly hope so. and traditionally, after the labor day weekend, which is officially the end of the summer driving season, you would expect to see gasoline prices come down, but there are a number of other factors why prices should come down. obviously, there was the hurricane isaac effect, though we can't blame it all on isaac. there are other events, for example, a chevron refinery fire in california, midwest pipeline shutdowns. all these things pushed up prices for this weekend. so, after this, with demand dropping down, also an interesting seasonal factor, gas stations can actually sell less expensive gasoline, because over the summer, they have to offer a more expensive ozone-friendly gasoline. so, that's the seasonal effect that should ease some of the pain at the pump as well. >> interesting, and we're not close to being done with the hurricane season. >> we've got until october 31st, so there could be another hurricane, which would once again result in some of the energy infrastructure precautionary shutdownpours like we saw for isaac.

>> mandy drury, thank you once again. >> you're welcome. >> back to lester. did you ever dream of winning the lottery and quitting your job? for a man in a tiny town in michigan, that dream is now a reality. here's nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: meet 44-year-old donald, father of two and self-described hillbilly who's now a multimillionaire after winning the third largest powerball jackpot ever. what's the first thing he bought? >> a pack of bubble gum. >> reporter: where'd he put the winning ticket to keep it safe? >> the ticket was put in my bible and then it was put under my couch, then it was put on top of my refrigerator. >> reporter: he promised not to blow his fortune, as so many others have. >> this money won't last forever unless i use it right and budget it right. it's not a lot. $337 million, you know. you think it's a tremendous amount, but i'm kind of pissed at uncle sam. >> reporter: that's because

taxes will take a bite. he took the lump sum payment, $224.6 million. lawson lives in lapeer, michigan, a small town of just 9,000, where everyone's been wondering for weeks who bought the winning ticket at the local sonoco station. >> it's all anyone's talking about in town. >> lawson said after winning, he immediately retired from his job on the railroad. >> everybody, as far as my close family, were told they could retire and they have no problem with that. >> reporter: but he said he won't change who he is. >> a simple life, that's what i want to continue to do. >> reporter: however, he is planning to leave lapeer, the little town that brought him so much luck, but first, he says he wants to move someplace safe and figure out how to live out the rest of his life as a very wealthy man. for "today," ron allen, nbc news, chicago. and now here's jenna. >> all right, lester, thanks. ? a world where technology is

king, newer is always better, but nbc's joelle garguilo figured out that for some businesses, it pays on cash in on the past. ♪ these days are ours >> reporter: remember the days of poodle skirts and jukeboxes, marilyn monroe and classic cars? well, guess what? they're back again. from food to tv -- >> hello, and welcome. >> reporter: -- to toys, companies are drawing from decades past, looking to capture that nostalgic feeling of yesteryear in hopes of turning a profit. take the '50s-themed 5 & diner, a place where memorabilia graces the wall, milk shakes flow freely and rock and roll plays day and night. ♪ you ain't nothing but a hound dog ♪ >> reporter: a trip back to a time when life wasn't so complicated. >> the '50s were, in my mind, a special time in america. we had come out of world war ii, the car industry was expanding, people were traveling more and more, route 66 was famous.

>> reporter: and it's what inspired bob and lori watson to buy the '50s-themed diner franchise five years ago, that iconic place where all the cool cats would go to simply have a blast. >> hey! >> reporter: and bob and lori are certainly having a blast. their profits are up 7% over the competiti competition. ♪ >> it's almost like a time capsule. >> you get to step outside yourself. >> my favorite place right now. i'm coming here all the time. >> reporter: what's old is now new, just like the diner, it's a theme more and more businesses are trying to cash in on, the past. the year was 1969, and america's neighborhood sidewalks would be changed forever. that's the year the big wheel came to the market. the toy quickly became one of the most recognizable brands in the u.s. but fell victim to a more technology-oriented toy market in the '90s. until ron cowen decided to reintroduce memories for a whole new generation. his company, kids only, is banking on an icon that hit

shelves this summer. so, you're bringing the big wheel back. >> bringing the iconic toy, the original big wheel back, yes. >> reporter: why draw from the past? >> because i remember when. it was moms and dads and grandparents who had this great toy. everybody had this story and now we can share this great story with our kids and grandchildren. >> reporter: something this little boy in the picture, now grown up, knows all too well. >> as a kid, i loved my big wheel. it was like my best friend. i rode on it all the time. so, now, seeing my own kids on one, it's great. you know, it brings that can was warm, fuzzy, wholesome feeling. >> reporter: that nostalgic feeling that can bring people of all ages back to a time and place when life -- cheers -- was simpler. for "today," joelle garguilo, new york. >> i want a milk shake. >> lester got misty-eyed with that. >> i want a milk shake. >> oh, you're here! still to come, a warning to swimmers -- don't get in the water, certain water. beaches on cape cod are closed this busy labor day weekend after a shark sighting.

officials are on high alert. we're back in a moment. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," airline prices on the rise. what you can do to save money on your next trip. plus, shocking video of a 13-year-old boy bullied in school and his teacher is involved. >> this is wbal tv-11 news today in baltimore. >> i'm jennifer franciotti. the time right now is 7:25 and here's a look at our top stories. the grand prix street racing is legal for those pros in downtown

baltimore for the weekend. some of the most skilled drivers in the world will floor it for the second annual race, practice runs and qualifying racing highlighted day one of action on friday. we are told some of the race car drivers had mixing reviews concerning the track and its bumpiness. >> it's a fun track. it's a great -- i think it will be great for racing. it's just they need to make those small snawments -- adjustments with the bump and flatten out turn one to turn four. >> despite some of the financial woes from last year's grand prix, city officials prefer to build on the success of the rate. wbal will show you the roads to avoid, race information and a map of the course on wbaltv.com. jury deliberations will continue next week in the trial of two men accused in the murder of a towson man in the towson town center mall. frank williams and william ward

iii are charged in the shooting death of 19-year-old rodney pridget at the mall last year. the prosecution contends the defendants plotted to kill pridget after hearing pridget allegedly killed williams' cousin. the jury is expected to reconvene on tuesday. four men have been indicted for murder and witness intimidation in the robin giveins case. giveins was found shot to death in front of his baltimore county last year. it's believed he became a target when he turned down a bribe to false testimony in a drug case. darius duncan, keyon beads, clifford butler jr. and david johnson are in custody for the killing.

>> good morning, we take a look at the radar, sprinkles north of us. most of this is verga in the clouds, but farther west, especially in frederick county, sprinkles and showers. there have been showers especially in the mountains out west, around harrisonburg, moving east. at b.w.i., temperature 76 degrees, humidity up, west-southwest wind at 5 miles per hour. a front is coming in and moisture this morning and during the day today more related to the front than the moisture from isaac but eventually that comes into play as the front stalls in the area for a couple of days across the holiday weekend. 87 to 91, the high today, mix of sun and clouds and a brief shower or two in the forecast

but basically partly cloudy skies. ocean city, the same thing with rain chances increasing sunday and monday. >> thanks for joining us. we are back in 25 minutes with ♪ and we're back with more of "today" on this saturday morning, the first day of september 2012. hard to believe it's september already. happy to have our friends out on the plaza joining us on this labor day weekend. i'm jenna wolfe alongside lester holt. still to come in this half hour, speaking of holidays, are you planning on flying over the winter break? if you are, you'd better start looking right now. airline prices are rising sharply. coming up, we're going to tell you how to find the best deal. also, we'll take a look at the lasting legacy of princess diana 15 years after her death. all these years later, have her sons grown up to be the men she dreamed of? and later, a 13-year-old boy bullied in class not just by his

fellow students, but by his teacher as well. so, why wasn't the teacher fired? we will get into all of that. plus, country music star leann rimes goes into therapy for what she calls stress and anxiety fr anxiety. could a lawsuit be to blame? all that, plus concerns over her big weight loss. but we'll begin with another shark scare, this one on cape cod, massachusetts, and some beaches are closed for the labor day weekend because of the great white spotted offshore. more now from nbc's michelle franzen. >> reporter: on cape cod, the labor day weekend started with red flag warnings and a ban on swimming for the outer beaches from chatham to orleans. >> we have had some significant observations of sharks in close to the beach. >> reporter: at least seven great white sharks have been spotted in recent days and are just the latest sightings this summer. >> some of these were within 15 feet of shore. >> reporter: too close for locals and tourists trying to

enjoy the final summer holiday weekend. >> they're kind of exciting to see, as long as you're not in the water. >> reporter: in july, tourist chris myers was in the water, swimming nearby when a great white attacked him. he was treated at a local hospital. >> i had four deep puncture wounds on each of my two legs, so a total of eight wounds that required stitches. >> reporter: but the big draw for sharks in these waters is another popular visitor, gray seals. as many as 15,000 are estimated to be lingering in the atlantic. >> maybe he popped up just for you. >> reporter: perfect bait for great whites. >> that one was close. he was staying high. >> reporter: and quite a show for sightseers on tour boats or beach-goers watching from the safety of the shoreline. >> look at that one! >> reporter: each summer, reports of shark sightings and attacks make headlines from coast to coast. near san diego, just before the fourth of july, a great white shark was spotted off la jolla shores. >> and we saw about a two-foot

triangle fin. that's a shark. and he was swimming north. >> reporter: it could be a scene right out of a movie. and it is still that movie, "jaws," that feeds fears sharks target humans. experts say when it comes to food, sharks rarely attack people and prefer seals. and when both are spotted, officials say the best advice is to keep your distance. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news. >> by distance, i wonder if she means studio 1a, exactly where i'll spend my summer. once again, here's lester. >> jenna, thanks. it's a mystery to most people, the world of polygamy. how could one person share their husband with others? mar mara schiavocampo spoke with one woman who lived as a polygamist for decades until she found the courage to walk away. >> reporter: 59-year-old kristen decker, the suburbs of salt lake

city, utah, are a reminder of an unusual upbringing. >> got out of high school and got married. the expectation was that we would have families and children and help populate the areas with righteous kids. >> reporter: for most of her life, all decker has known is polygamy. she was the 12th of 23 children. her father had five wives and was considered a prophet in the apostolic united brethren, what they considered to be an off-shoot of the church of ladder day saints. it's a story she shares in the memoir "50 years in polygamy: big secrets and little, white lies." how did growing up in a polygamist community affect your childhood? >> it was always secretive and i always felt fear. >> reporter: decker says the community was isolated and few discussed their problems. she says that climate enabled more than just polygamy, and she claims that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by men in the religion and even a half brother. >> there was a lot of trauma. there was a lot of fighting and

neglect and sadness. >> reporter: still, decker believes polygamy was god's will. at 17, she got married and started a family. >> i was taught that do what you say, what mom says, do what i should. >> reporter: after eight years, decker herself suggested her husband take a second bride, writing "god commanded women to be happy, supportive, sweet and encouraging when it came to our husbands courting and marrying other wives." she goes on to describe their wedding day, writing "i acted like the perfect polygamous wife, watching my husband and his pretty young bride wave good-bye, heading off on the honeymoon i'd never had." but decker says getting a so-called sister wife was traumatic and pushed her to the edge one night when she heard her husband and his new wife being intimate. >> that pain and that heartache was so unbearable that i don't even know how to describe it. and somehow, i made it into the

kitchen and i really planned to take a knife and just kill myself, and i heard my baby cry and pulled me back to reality. >> reporter: while polygamy is illegal in all 50 states, it's practiced openly in some parts of the country and glamorized in shows like hbo's "big love" and tlc's "sister wives." but decker says the real-life drama was unbearable. after seven kids and 33 years of marriage, 25 of which she shared with another wife, she got divorced and left her church altogether. today, decker is remarried and a retired teacher with 21 grandkids. >> every day, i am grateful. it's worth my life, every single day. and i want that happiness for everyone else. >> reporter: one woman sharing her story so that others like her may find their own happy ending. for "today," mara schiavocampo, nbc news, salt lake city. we want to look at the weather now from bill karins. bill, good morning again. >> when you think of seattle,

what do you think of weatherwise? >> rain and more rain. >> actually, august is my favorite month in seattle. >> lester knows. >> it's usually very pleasant. that's one of my favorite getaways. >> they didn't get a drop of rain the entire month of august. >> see? >> look at lester go! >> huh? >> you're on the ball! >> on fire! why do you think that is? >> when you're running late, you know, you're like, charged up. >> we're all going to sleep late, producers of the "today" show. well, good morning, everyone. as far as your labor day weekend forecast, we're going to keep it very dry in the west. it's good, it's dry, it's beautiful, temperatures have been beautiful and it's too dry and the fire danger is high. we'll watch some of that in areas of kentucky, parts of ohio and some of the moisture pulls up to the mid-atlantic for labor day. hit-and-miss showers into the carolinas, into d.c. it will be a pretty warm three-day weekend, too, near

>> good morning, partly cloudy at ocean city this morning, temperatures in the 70's. the beach will get more crowded today. rain chances west of the bay, kind of spotty. highest chanc if you have out door plans over the holiday weekend and you want your hour-by-hour forecast, you can get that at weather.com or by tuning in to the weather channel. lester, jenna? >> thank you very much. clint eastwood's appearance at the republican national convention turning into an internet sensation. but up next, up, up and a y away. airfares soaring. what you can do to get the best deals, after this. these fellas used capital one venture miles for a golf getaway. double miles you can actually use... but mr. single miles can't join his friends

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travel," rising airfares. if you're planning to fly for the winter holiday, the winter holidays, the time to act is now. gabe is senior editor at travelzoo.com. good to see you. >> good to be here. >> $20 i think is the average airfare's gone up since last summer. it doesn't sound like a lot, but when you figure in all the fees, it is a lot. traditionally when we think of prices going up, we think of fuel cost. >> that's actually the number one factor airlines use to justify fare increases. we've seen five increases so far this year, and the fact of the matter is that since 2007, there has been a steady rise in fuel costs and it's led to some rather outrageous fuel surcharges on international routes. if you buy a ticket round-trip to paris, you could save $800. the full surcharge on that ticket can be $600 or more so you're paying to airlines to offset the fuel costs. >> isn't this supply and demand? >> absolutely. >> we've seen big airline mergers, sometimes they're using smaller planes .

is it just a matter there aren't many seats going somewhere? >> absolutely right. we have seen three mergers, four if american airlines goes through. first thing they do is cancel overlapping routes, so the number of flights goes down, and airlines are really stingy on opening up more seats or opening up more planes on some routes. if you've flown lately, you realize there are not empty seats, these are full flights. and coupled with that, demand is up. actually, in march, we sold a record number of seats sold. >> let's talk then about timing. i think traditionally, you'd look a couple weeks out to figure out the timing to buy a ticket. >> right. >> but if you want to travel let's say for the thanksgiving holiday, do you wait or start right now trying to nail down a price? >> the rule of thumb generally, three to six weeks out is when you can really start to look at and lock in good airfare, but for the holidays, a lot of the rules are thrown out the window. if you're inflexible, if you have to travel the wednesday

before thanksgiving and come back right afterwards, this is not a bad time to start looking at buying tickets for thanksgiving and really start looking at the end of your holidays over the next few weeks. >> we think of thanksgiving, we traditionally think of domestic travel to be with family here, but flying overseas might be a bargain this time of year. >> if you want to save money on thanksgiving airfare, don't go home for the holidays. the fact of the matter is november is the beginning of the bottom, you know, low season for europe, for example. the best airfares to europe come the thanksgiving season, so that's an option. if you don't want to go check out grandma's cooking, save on airfare to europe over the thanksgiving holiday. otherwise, a couple of tricks of the trade -- wait for tuesdays. that's when airfares are released, when sales are released. you would find most of the sales and availability on a tuesday afternoon into early wednesday morning. and we do anticipate even over the next couple weeks, some last-minute sales for the holidays. it may not be the exact route or time you want to fly, but at least there will be some sales to choose from over the next few weeks. >> can you believe we're already

talking thanksgiving? >> we're getting there. >> gabe, thank you very much. >> you bet. up next, princess diana's lasting legacy 15 years after her death, coming up after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ whoa-oh, yeah, yeah ♪ well, she goes the extra mile ♪ ♪ she's gonna make you smile, yes, she will ♪ [ female announcer ] from special occasions to unplanned thursdays, it's one good time after another. town house®. where good times reside™. eat tomato sauce on my spaghetti. the acidic levels in some foods can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down. and you can't grow your enamel back. i was quite surprised, as only few as four exposures a day what that can do to you. it's quite a lesson learned. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel. because it helps to strengthen the enamel.

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familiar, the memories vivid. princess diana's admirers still turning out to celebrate the remarkable life 15 years after her death. >> she's never forgotten. she was just a wonderful person. >> reporter: remembered for her charity work, greeting aids patients and campaigning against landmines, and for her beauty, a shy teenager who turned into a style icon. >> she's what you call a diamond, and diamonds never disappear. >> reporter: the grief from her death in paris may have faded, but interest in the princess remains. they only want to spend the summer striking those familiar poses for the first big diana movie, introducing the world's most famous princess to a whole new generation. >> she's passed from being this presence in our life to being an iconic, historic figure. >> reporter: but diana's influence can still be felt in her sons, william, who's strikingly similar to his mother, and harry, with that

popular touch that diana first brought to the royal family, both sharing her personality -- caring, independent, and yes, sometimes a bit of mischief. >> i think very much installed in william and harry the notion of having to give back, to pay for your privilege, so to speak. also, she made them the boys they are today, in if they have really gone their own way. >> reporter: look at diana's influence on other members of the royal family, more relaxed in public, happy to let their guard down. it's a legacy no one could have imagined 15 years ago, a fitting tribute to the woman adored and missed by so many. >> and that was nbc's duncan golestani reporting. still ahead, the massive cleanup effort along the gulf coast in the wake of hurricane isaac. we'll have more on that. and what's left is dumping heavy rain across the nation's middle section. but first, this is "today" on

nbc.

still to come on "today," yo, dawg. is randy jackson out as a judge at "american idol"? plus -- >> i'll start it, you finish it. go ahead -- >> make my day! >> how clint eastwood's convention performance was a massive hit online. but first, these messages. you know why i sell tools? tools are uncomplicated. nothing complicated about a pair of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service shipping's easy. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that's not complicated. no.

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just, you know, demonstrating how we blend the fruits. ahem. try all our tasty ocean spray 100% and light 50 juices. >> this is wbal tv-11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, everyone, i'm lisa robinson. it's 7:55. here's a look at the morning's top stories. jury deliberations continue next week in the trial of two men accused in the murder at towson town center mall. frank williams and william word

iii are charged in the shooting death of 19-year-old rodney pridget at the mall in december of last year. prosecution contends the defendants wanted to kill pridget after hearing pridget allegedly killed williams' cousin. the jury is expected to reconvene tuesday. athletes, students and spectators observed a moment of silence friday before perry hall's high school football home opener in honor of daniel, the 17-year-old in critical condition after being shot on monday on the school campus. gladden jr.robert is charged as an adult in the shooting. 11 news has learned medical professionals are working to close a gunshot wound in daniel's back. his family and friends are grateful for the support from the community. a website has been set up to help fund daniel's medical expenses. honor more at wbaltv.com. a baltimore county police officer is recovering after an accident in catonsville.

a scene around 4:30 friday afternoon at johnnycake road and avenue after police cruiser and another car collided. the officer was taken to shock trauma with non-life-threatening injuries. there's no word if anyone in other vehicle was hurt. it's unclear if the officer was responding to a call at the time and that accident is under investigation. we are back in a moment wit

>> good morning. this morning, mix of sun and clouds in the area as temperatures starting in the 70's instead of the 60's like yesterday and radar showing rain to the west of us, not particularly happy, spotty and scattered.

this particular view is almost overstating it. it is moving to the east and related to a front coming in. the heaviest rains have been in the virginia mountains, those will probably pass to the south and a lot of this will diminish deeper in the morning. the lay of the land, a front to the north sinking southward today and stalling in the neighborhood so as long as it's around, we do have a chance of rain, spotty as it may be, and also eventually the moisture from what's left of isaac will mix in with this stuff so rain an element in our weekend forecast. today, a mix of sun and clouds and that chance for a brief shower or two in the area. the farther west you go, the higher theain chance but the basic forecast, partly or mostly cloudy skies today. 87 to 91 the high and more humid than yesterday. as far as ocean city is concerned, rain chances minimal today but start increasing on sunday and monday. temperatures will be in the 80's. the seven-day forecast, rain on again, off again in the forecast, not all the time,

the middle of next week. >> thank you for joining us. we are back in 25 minutes with another update. back now with more of "today" on this saturday morning, september 1st, 2012, the start of a long holiday weekend, and we're happy to have a lot of smiling faces out on the plaza this morning. our thanks to everyone for stopping by. i'm lester holt here with jenna wolfe. and coming up in just a moment, presidential politics and a new firestorm over something mitt romney didn't mention during his acceptance speech on thursday night. plus, clint eastwood now an internet sensation after his appearance at the convention. eastwooding is the new term, and it is hotter than ever. we're even getting into the act right here. we've been doing it all morning. we are, i guess this is just a verb now, we're eastwooding? >> yeah. the problem is, the chair has

actually been talking back. >> well, hair and makeup was just down to help the chair, too, so perhaps it's taken on a life of its own. >> demanding little seat. >> you think? also ahead, we'll take a turn and show you a pretty shocky video, a 13-year-old student getting bullied in the classroom. we've seen that before, but the twist here, his teacher was taking part as well. coming up, the boy's outraged parents speak out. and on a lighter note, is the dog on his way out? rumors are flying that randy jackson, the only original "american idol" judge remaining is on his way out, or at least changing his role on the show. we'll try to get to the bottom of that. but we want to begin with presidential politics and president obama hitting the road with the democratic convention just three days away. nbc's kristen welker is in urbandale, iowa, where the president will make a campaign stop later today. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. president obama will begin his busy holiday weekend right here in the all-important swing state of iowa. he was just here two weeks ago, which gives you a sense of just

how crucial this state is. this is a part of his "road to charlotte" campaign swing. one change to his schedule -- he will be visiting louisiana on monday, meeting with folks who were impacted by hurricane isaac, this after his republican challenger, mitt romney, visited on friday. ♪ living in america >> reporter: with the republican national convention behind him, mitt romney left the campaign trail friday to visit with those impacted by hurricane isaac. >> but it has really destroyed us down here. >> is that right? >> reporter: the trip came a day after romney accepted the republican nomination for president, delivering his most personal account to date and also promising to restore the stagnant economy. >> president obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the ocean and to heal the planet. my promise is to help you and your family. >> reporter: mr. romney also argued the president hasn't been forceful enough with america's

enemies abroad. >> every american is less secure today because he has failed to slow iran's nuclear threat. >> reporter: but it was what he didn't say that threw some of the sharpest criticism. romney became the first republican in 60 years not to mention war during his acceptance speech, despite the ongoing battle in afghanistan. conservative columnist bill kristol questioned "the political wisdom of romney's silence." on a conference call, obama deputy campaign manager stephanie cutter lashed out. >> in an almost 45-minute speech, romney didn't find a moment to mention our troops in afghanistan. >> reporter: the romney campaign defended the decision, saying the candidate spoke to the american legion on wednesday. still, it set the stage for president obama to potentially gain political attraction from what was dubbed a noncampaign event in ft. bliss, texas. the president visited the el paso base to mark the two-year anniversary of the end of the combat mission in iraq, and he touted what he has called a campaign promise test.

>> what i meant when i said it. >> reporter: mr. obama also seemed to indirectly answer romney's criticism that he hasn't been tough enough on the international stage. >> if you were anyone trying to say that america's in decline or that our influence has waned, don't you believe it. because here's the truth, our alliances have never been stronger. >> reporter: and lester, the big talker this weekend is that speech that was delivered by 82-year-old acting icon clint eastwood during the republican national convention. he delivered this performance in which he essentially interviewed an empty chair meant to represent president obama. some political analysts are calling this speech bizarre. the romney campaign pushed back against that criticism on friday, saying that it was worthwhile because he talked about the high unemployment rate. the romney campaign also saying that the candidate himself felt the speech was funny. lester? >> kristen welker, thank you. now here's jenna. >> all right, lester, thanks. let's turn now to the massive cleanup effort taking

place along the gulf coast in the aftermath of hurricane isaac. nbc's gabe gutierrez is in laplace, louisiana, and joins us. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. as you can see behind me, there's still patches of standing water in a few parts of louisiana, but for the most part, the floodwaters are receding. the biggest problem today, power outages. nearly four days after hurricane isaac first slammed into the gulf coast, much of laplace, louisiana, is still under water. and gweneth nelson is still overwhelmed. >> because i haven't been in this situation. i can't take it. i hope it never happens again, and i pray it never happens again. >> reporter: with the water slowly receding, bob haskell has seen his share of hurricanes come ashore, but this storm packed a punch he wasn't ready for. >> in 27 years, we've never had that much water in the street. >> reporter: after isaac dumped up to 20 inches of rain in some

places yesterday alone, forcing dramatic rescues, including this one, where the coast guard air-lifted a couple to safety, damage and debris now stretching from louisiana to mississippi to arkansas. there have been at least five storm-related deaths and more than 5,000 people are staying in shelters, and 500,000 residents are still without power. extra line crews have been called in from out of state to help, working 16-hour shifts. in mississippi today, some relief. lower lake levels eased the water pressure on a rain-weakened dam. thousands at the louisiana border had been evacuated in case the dam collapsed, but today, fears have calmed along with the storm. >> i'm coping really good. i mean, i've got school right now, light from it, so everything's all right for now. >> reporter: meanwhile, back near new orleans, the cleanup began in slidell. >> this is the water mark from katrina. so, i was literally standing on

my toes for katrina. >> reporter: a bad case of deja vu for frank jackson. he just reopened his soda shop a month ago after taking in five feet of water during katrina. >> i mean, i know thereo a lot people, this is devastating. people have been through it a few times. you just clean up and you move on. >> reporter: here in louisiana, isaac has left behind hot and muggy conditions, all the more frustrating to those hundreds of thousands of people still without power. jenna? >> all right, gabe gutierrez. gabe, thank you very much. meantime, the remnants of isaac are now soaking parts of the midwest. the weather channel's julie martin is in taylorville, illinois. julie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. we did get heavy rains here in taylorville overnight. now most of the rain is off to my north, but the midwest getting a very good soaking this morning, and that is certainly encouraging news for the farmers here. these stalks are finally wet after a bone-dry summer.

unfortunately, much of the damage as far as the corn crop has already been done. you can see here just some pretty pitiful looking crops. and in fact, the owner here, ken franklin, tells me this is going to be one of the worst years he's had so far in terms of corn, but the rain is still maybe an emotionally good thing, at least for the farmers who have just been battling this weather problem all summer long. in fact, he says the rain is going to help to recharge the soil, fill some of the pastures and the wells that are in desperate need of water. what we're looking at across the midwest today, then, is not going to be anything like what we did see in the south. no widespread flooding, but we could still see some localized flooding here, some wet roadways, and certainly a soaking for the corn crops and other crops such as soybeans. soybeans could actually benefit some the rains. lester? >> yuli martin in illinois, thank you. now let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories. cnbc's mandy drury is at the news desk.

good morning. good morning again. we begin with a frightening warning from yosemite national park officials. they say over 10,000 people who stayed in the park's signature tent cabins this summer might at risk for the rodent-borne hantavirus. six people who stayed in the park in june have become ill and two have died. a football fan has died after plunging about 35 feet from the upper level of the georgia dome in atlanta. the authorities say 20-year-old isaac grubb of tennessee fell on another man during last night's game between tennessee and north carolina state. the other fan has been treated and released. an investigation is under way into how grubb fell. and this is the last three-day holiday weekend of the summer. despite higher gasoline prices, aaa expects 28 million people to hit the road. that is 3% more than last labor day. on average, gas now costs $3.82 a gallon. that is up 11 cents in the past week. hurricane isaac is partly to blame for shutting down oil rigs

and refineries in the gulf of mexico. federal reserve chairman ben bernanke is holding his annual summer meeting in jackson hole, wyoming, this weekend. bernanke says he's concerned about the economy and especially the labor market, and if they don't improve soon, he says the fed will be ready to act, though he is not giving any details. and finally, we want to introduce you to a 7-year-old boy in indiana who has an amazing talent. your eyes are not playing tricks on you, and we haven't sped up the tape. this really is how fast austin neighbor can create pyramids out of cups. it's called sport stacking and austin has already smashed a few world records. good for him. an amazing talent. that's the news. lester, jenna, back to you. >> just trying to figure out where the ball was, under which cup it was. >> wow! that is -- fun to watch that, too. >> mandy, thanks. >> look at that! bill karins is outside on

the plaza with a check of the forecast again. bill, good morning. >> that's very impressive. i've never tried it but that is quick! what's also impressive is this young lady. she turned 21 last night and made it up for the "today" show on her first morning of her 21st. impressive stuff! happy birthday to you. let's talk about your forecast through the holiday weekend here. still watching the heavy rains from isaac from peoria all the way through paducah, kansas city. this is welcome rainfall in this section of the country, desperately needed it. unfortunately, it will rain out portions of your holiday weekend. so, what's next? this is the peak month of the hurricane season and we always have storms to track. we have hurricane kirk and tropical storm leslie. happy to say both storms will be what we call fish storms, turning harmlessly out into the open atlantic and will not affect any land areas at all. so, looks like for the next seven, maybe ten days, we get a break from anything tropical. as far as today's forecast, i mentioned the heavy rain there, also very warm in the northern plains, possible record heat. not exactly chilly in dallas

>> nice morning this morning, partly cloudy skies, showers to the west of us. our view of the city is a nice one. theook at the forecast for labor day weekend and today we might see a shower, higher chance for rain sunday it's amazing fall's just about here, steelers fans are already out and it's about football season. back to you, jenna. >> all right, bill, thank you very much. shocking video of a 13-year-old boy being bullied has school officials taking action in washington state. the video was taken by some of his fellow students, and after his parents viewed it, they say they're outraged that the teacher has still kept his job. nbc's miguel almaguer has the story. >> reporter: the 13-year-old boy is dragged across the classroom,

a sock stuffed in his mouth. at one point, he's pinned beneath chairs, students scribbling on his feet. the incident, what his parents call hazing, was captured on cell phone by a fellow classmate during school. the boy's teacher, john rosi, seen here in the green shirt, wasn't just in the classroom, he was involved. >> showed us the video, and i was shocked. my wife broke down crying. you know, i -- it's just tough, to see your kid. >> reporter: though the incident took place in february, the roughly 15-minute video surfaced publicly this week. the teenage boy's parents say their son was so traumatized, he had to change schools, is seeing a psychiatrist and can't sleep at night. >> i was horrified by what i saw. >> reporter: the acting superintendent of the seattle area middle school says the

teacher has been disciplined and is now on administrative leave. john rosi, a highly experienced educator, has been temporarily removed from the school. >> it's an isolated situation in an 18-year career that's horrific and it deserves some pretty significant reaction fast, and that's what we did. >> reporter: john rosi, who still has his job, has yet to make any public comment, but he did tell school district investigators he didn't view the incident as anything other than harmless childhood horse play. >> this just isn't wrestling with the students. this is encouraging the students to take one student and use him as a play toy. >> reporter: with the school district taking action, the incident is now being reviewed by the sheriff's department, but the damage to one teenage student -- >> oh, my god! >> reporter: -- has already been done. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> so disturbing to watch.

>> hard to watch, yeah. still to come, the latest on leann rimes. the country star has checked herself into rehab. we'll have the details. but up next, clint eastwood not only made headlines at the rnc convention, but he also inspired a new term. it's called eastwooding. we'll explain right after these messages. this is george. he is a good little monkey and always very curious. one day george got an important letter... he's built a rocket ship to travel into space. google, how far is earth to the moon? moon is 238,900 miles... the great moment had come... ...3...2...1

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>> here is nbc's joelle garguilo with the story. ♪ >> reporter: he's a hollywood icon, a blockbuster movie star, an actor who's delivered countless classic lines on the big screen. >> see, this world has two kinds of people, my friend. >> reporter: now clint eastwood can add another title to that list -- internet sensation. >> i just thought, this is great! i mean, everybody's crying. oprah was crying. >> reporter: the 82-year-old appeared to drift off script thursday night at the republican national convention. it all started with an empty chair and an imaginary president obama. >> so, i've got, i've got mr. obama sitting here, and he is -- i just was going to ask him a couple questions. >> reporter: and just like that -- >> chair. >> reporter: eastwooding, the act of talking to an empty chair, was born, sending the internet into a frenzy.

>> what do you mean shut up? [ laughter ] what do you want me to tell romney? i can't tell him to do that. >> reporter: within minutes, the twitter handle @invisibleobama was created, and armchair eastwoods across the country gan tweeting and eastwooding. dogs were eastwooding, cats, too! even the president joined in on the fun, tweeting this pic with the caption "this seat's taken." >> all right, i'll start it, you finish it. >> go ahead -- >> make my day! >> reporter: the 12-minute speech caught tv commentators off guard. >> i don't, i don't, i don't know if there are -- i don't -- >> this was extremely strange. >> there is a president obama that only republicans can see. >> he did a bit with just an empty chair and killed. >> that couldn't possibly be

real. in the last hour of a republican convention. >> oh, but it was. >> i know what you're thinking. what's a movie tradesman doing out here? >> reporter: no, mr. eastwood, we're thinking what scene are you planning to steal next? for "today," joelle garguilo, new york. >> it just goes to show you how much social media plays into our daily lives now. it's such great fodder. you didn't have that four years ago. >> no, i was just talking to the chair about that, and we agree. >> i mean, such creativity that you saw online, whether you liked the speech or not, whether you like him or not, it was so funny, and it's become such a clever little thing. and i just, i got so much amusement from that. i was dumbfounded when it was happening, but i was amused by that. >> well, we've got our little chair here. >> stay right there. coming up, leann rimes, the country star says she needs to emotionally check out for a second. what's behind her voluntary break and how's it playing in

hollywood? first, this is "today" on nbc.

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still to come on "today," could there be more changed to the judges panel on "american idol"? plus, labor day sales. we've got the lowdown on where to find great deals this holiday weekend. you don't want to miss it. so... [ gasps ] these are sandra's "homemade" yummy, scrumptious bars. hmm? i just wanted you to eat more fiber. chewy, oatie, gooeyness...

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lenscrafters. hurry in. sale ends september 9th. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. >> this is wbal tv-11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, i'm lisa robinson. it's 8:25. here's a look at the morning's top stories. baltimore's big weekend is finally here. the grand prix, street vegas legal for pros in down the the entireor

weekend. some of the most skilled drivers in the world will floor it for the second annual race. practice runs and qualifying racing highlighted day one on friday. some of the drivers had mixing reviews concerning the track and its bumpiness. >> it's a fun track. it's great for racing. it's just they need to make those small adjustments with the bumps and flatten out from turn one through turn four. if they did that, it's spectacular. >> despite the outcome of last year's grand prix, city officials prefer to build on the success of the race. make wbaltv.com your pit stop for grand prix of baltimore information, roads to avoid, race information and a map on wbaltv.com. jury deliberations will continue next week in the trial of two men accused of a murder at a towson town center. mike williams and williams ward iii are charged in the shooting death of 19-year-old rodney

pridget in the mall in december of last year. jermell brandon and tyrone brown jr. are also charged in the case. four men have been indicted for murder and witness intimidation in the robert givens case. givens was found shot to death in front of his baltimore county home last year. it is believed he was a target when he turned down a bribe to give false testimony. we are

>> good morning, picking up clouds this morning as a cool front to the north dropping southward and a few showers ahead of the front a possibility of the front will be stalling in the area the rest of the weekend. added to that, moisture from isaac will be feeding into it so we have to deal with rain chances. it won't be raining all the time but the chance will be there. the basic forecast today, mix of sun and clouds and brief shower or two a possibility. the farther west you go, i think the rain chances will be higher the day today. most of the day will be fine. 87 to 91, the high. a little bit on the humid side. ocean city, rain chances minimal increasing sunday, sunday night into monday morning. high temperatures at ocean city the weekend in the 80's. seven-day forecast, you'll notice a rain chance each day. that front will be in the area. isaac's moisture, as well.

>> thank you for joining us. 11 news saturday morning starts in 25 minutes. we're back on saturday morning, the first day of september. it's 2012. we want to thank our crowd for sticking around, starting their labor day weekend with us. >> i'm wide awake! >> you are wide awake, because you had an extra eight minutes of sleep, so why would you not be awake? >> you were giving me a hard time this morning because i slept in. >> he mentioned it, not me. >> but i got eight hours sleep. do you know how big that is? >> i'm seeing how big that is and i'm hearing how big that is. >> a difference between a couple hours. >> the difference between 7:50 and 8:00 is a huge difference. >> i haven't slept that well since i would on a train to scotland.

did you hear that story? >> yeah, you also fell asleep. well, you're in a perky, great mood -- >> let's go to 11:00! >> i'll meet you there. we have another big, packed half hour coming up. we're talking about leann rimes. she's had a tough week. she just turned 30. in addition, she checked into rehab and then filed a lawsuit, alleging invasion of privacy against two women. we'll look at what's really going on in leann rimes' life. then, is it possible the dawg may be out? the last judge on "american idol." stories he may be moving on or at least taking on a different role in the show. we'll look at that, find out what's going on. then, labor day would not be complete without the labor day sale. so, coming up, we'll tell you where to find the best deals, which items have the biggest discounts. and we're going to have some barbecue on the plaza. say no more. >> enough said. >> sounds good. >> that's all you have to say. first, we'll get another check of the weather with bill karins. good morning, bill! good morning. i saw like four racks of ribs over there, so one for each of us. what's your name, little girl? >> mia.

>> and you've been here before, you're a veteran, right? you have a picture? >> yes. >> she was here two years ago and not only did she manage to go in the same exact spot, but she also managed the second time to be right next to lenny again. look at this. that was her right there, two years ago, and there's lenny. going to be mad for the picture, too. but very cute, little girl. let's take you through your weekend forecast. as we go throughout the holiday weekend, rain from isaac remains in areas of the ohio valley, especially from indianapolis, where we still need a lot of rain, and illinois, beneficial today. then sunday, that pushes through kentucky, southern ohio valley. some of the moisture will make it to the mid-atlantic. it won't be a widespread, all-day, heavy rayneout through monday, but we will have a chance of showers and storms from atlanta through the carolinas into washington, d.c., possibly baltimore, too. you notice the rest of the country, no big cooldown, at least not yet this september. still a lot of hot temperatures out there this weekend, >> good morning, partly cloudy at ocean city this morning, temperatures in the 70's.

the beach will get more crowded today. rain chances west of the bay, kind of spotty. highest chance and we want to welcome our people representing rochester, new york. can you fix your hat? fix your hat for me again. yeah, looking good. all right, back inside to you, jenna. >> all right, bill, thank you very much. earlier this week, country singer leann rimes checked herself into a rehab facility for anxiety and for stress. she has now filed an invasion of privacy lawsuit. nbc's veronica de la cruz has more now on the latest with regards to the country music singer. >> yeah, jenna, this week, leann rimes celebrated her 30th birthday, but with so much going

on in her life, there was very little celebration. this probably isn't the 30th birthday leann rimes was expecting. the singer telling "people" magazine, "this is just in time for me to emotionally check out for a second and take care of myself and come back in 30 days as the best 30-year-old woman i can be." the announcement comes a day after she filed a lawsuit accusing two women of bullying her on twitter and taping a phone conversation without her consent. but stress is nothing new to rimes. ever since she had an fair with her current husband who was married to "real house wife" brandy at the time, her image just hasn't been the same. >> she was america's sweetheart and then she became america's bad girl. everybody has something to say about leann, and that has to take a toll. >> reporter: however, granville is telling "us weekly" i totally support leann's decision to enter rehappen, my top priority

is my children and at the end of the day, we are family. leann is their stepmom and they love her." in an interview with giuliana rancic, leann talked about stress and how it's affected her physical appearance. >> i knew that i was being healthy, but my life was really disturbing, and there was a lot of stress, depression, anxiety, whatever it may have been. put a name on it, put a number on it. whatever it is, it was definitely affecting my body. >> reporter: her body has made headlines and is the subject of speculation, something rimes is constantly defending on twitter. >> i think the stress is causing me maybe to not even absorb the nutrients that was going into my body. >> reporter: whatever the reason for treatment, experts say seeking help is a step in the right direction. >> when someone gets admitted to a facility for anxiety and stress, it tells me that it's just not the usual day-to-day stress we have, it's something that's really accumulated over time. >> rimes has a new album coming

out, and it is already getting some buzz. although she will reportedly seek treatment for 30 days, rimes plans to take leave on the weekends so that she can promote that album. jenna? >> veronica de la cruz. veronica, thank you very much. once again, here's lester. >> jenna, thanks. it's been a summer of musical chairs for "american idol." first steven tyler announced he wouldn't be back, then j. lo calls it quits. now, could the last original "american idol" judge, randy jackson, be stepping away from the table as well? e! news's ken baker has more on the story. >> reporter: the summer of shake-up at "american idol" continues. >> randy jackson! >> yo, "e!" is in the house! >> reporter: now, could the dawg days be over? >> go to the other side, that's the way it happens sometimes. >> reporter: a source tells "e!" news the mega hit is looking to shift randy jackson into a mentor-type role, but those plans are still influx. >> what makes our show great to me is we have proof of concept in the show. >> reporter: the 56-year-old

could return as a judge, but that's only if "idol" is unable to revamp their panel with marquee names. the "american idol" sound stage has been quiet all summer, but there's been a lot of noise made behind the scenes. these are tumultuous times for tv's top show after losing two of its top guns. after two years, steven tyler exited stage left last month, citing a desire to return to making music and less than 24 hours later, jennifer lopez announced her decision to leave as well. >> the advice i would giveo whoever, you know, winds up doing the show, is just enjoy the journey. i'm going to miss it a lot. >> reporter: in the hunt for new judges, big names like miley cyrus, adam lambert, enrique iglesias and kanye west were rumored, then mariah carey became the first to sign on with a one-year, $17 million deal. >> thank you, darling. >> reporter: so, who will be taking the seats at judges' table next to mariah? it's been reported nicki minaj is in, but a show source tells "e!" news her deal is only "99%

done." to replace randy, producers are focusing their efforts on keith urban for what is being called the country slot. however, contractual issues are being worked out because of his ties to "the voice" in australia. randy's departure would signal the end of an era on the long-running fox series, because outside of ryan seacrest, no one from the original team would be left. >> that was ken baker from "e!" news reporting. up next here on "today," labor day sales, where to find the best deals this holiday weekend. but first, these messages. it's time to live... wider awake. only the beautyrest recharge sleep system combines the comfort of aircool memory foam layered on top of beautyrest pocketed coils to promote proper sleeping posture all night long. the revolutionary recharge sleep system from beautyrest... it's you, fully charged. receive up to a $300 beautyrest visa prepaid card

when you buy select beautyrest mattress sets. a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can do more of the things that i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica.

ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. this morning on "today's consumer," labor day sales. whether you want to spruce up your fall wardrobe or upgrade your appliances, retailers are offering big deals this holiday weekend. consumer correspondent janice lieberman is here with details. hey, janice, good morning. >> good morning! >> we're not seeing storewide sales, right, just individual categories?

>> well, retail analysts first tell us that this was a soft summer, and they say that right now they want to get you excited and get you back into the mall. ♪ i'm gonna soak up the sun >> reporter: just when you're trying to catch that last ray of sun -- you realize summer vacation is over. not to worry, retailers are offering great deals to get your mind off the beach and into the mall. >> the biggest labor day event ever! >> you can relax -- >> labor day mattress sale is going -- >> this is a year of distractions. we had crazy weather, we had politics involved, we also even had the olympics that took away some business from stores, so they're trying to gain momentum. so, take advantage right now ♪ go shopping >> reporter: so, where are the deepest discounts? we asked retail analyst marco cohen to take us shopping at sears in new york's mall. where are the real hot deals this weekend?

>> this is a great weekend for consumers because stores are in clearance mode, marking down all the merchandise they haven't sold. you'll get everything from summerwear to swimwear at great savings. >> reporter: among the sales, jeans. these jeans still hot? >> it's perfect for you. if neon green isn't your thing, try one of these in the deeper tone. denim has been sluggish, so the stores are going to have the whole category of denim on sale. great time to buy. >> reporter: juniors. what's going on in juniors? >> the junior business is a little off, because kids don't have the discretionary spending that they did. so, look for some good sales, take advantage of those as you begin the back-to-school business or build your own wardrobe. >> reporter: shoes? got to know about shoes. >> oh, what a great time to do some sole-searching. everything between dressy and really casual is going to be on sale. great time to take advantage of it, from the latest in the spring styles even to some of the fall styles.

>> reporter: and outerwear. >> look for some of those fall fashions almost like you're going to be able to preview them at a discount. great weekend to go out and begin to build your fall fashion wardrobe. >> reporter: do you feel like getting a winter coat now? >> i have no interest considering it's so warm, but it's great time to save money. >> reporter: but don't wait too long to jump on the sales or you just might find slim pickings when you hit the mall. and before you do hit the mall, do some research to find out which store's offering the best deal on the item you want, both online and at the store. >> all right, so, you did bring in a couple samples for us to see what's out there. let's start with home depot, because they're offering a number of sales this weekend. >> they want to get rid of summer stuff, so grills will be on sale. that's a nice item. lowe's also has them, so look around for the right grill and the best deal. home depot also says people will be sprucing up their houses, doing home improvement. pev a faucet on sale, $5 off

behr paint. that helps. >> everything in this department? >> no, you need to check the other stores and see what you want first before you hit the mall. >> walmart. we just talked about it. we saw it, big deals at walmart right now. >> they're talking about football, talking about tailgating, charcoal brickets, cheap. this is actually home depot still. we're doing, this is more about back-to-school, back to, you know, home improvement. >> home improvement, sure. >> the drills are on sale. mulch, if you want to get it into your yard. >> if you really want to do some heavy work here, janice. i don't know about this. >> yeah, shopping for shoes is a little easier. >> yeah, i thought so. >> now, this is walmart and they have a cooler on sale. they're talking about football. they have a visio tv, get you back into the season. >> theme-oriented. >> theme-oriented. and yoyo.com is an online site. >> because a lot of people don't want to go anywhere, click on the computer, make it easy. >> and they're clearing out summer merchandise, 30% to 75% off on summer toys. >> really? >> so, there's deals there.

and there's an app called foursquare.com. >> how does this work? >> logon, pz a free app. let's say old navy is running a sale. you spend $25, get $5, show the cashier and they'll take the 5 bucks off. zero work you have to do. >> just like this. are you finding more and more people are going online for the stores? >> they're doing their research because it depends on the store. if the store has a lot of inventory in one item, they'll sell it cheap, but if they don't, it won't be on sale. so, you really have to know who has a lot of inventory and what they need to get rid of, and they're getting excited about fall shopping. >> yeah, so are we. as always, thank you so much, janice. up next, an end-of-summer barbecue on the plaza. stick around. there are ribs for everyone. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

♪ time for "today's kitchen."

we've got a labor day barbecue out here on the plaza. here with the summer holiday menu is kenny callahan, executive chef at blue smoke here in new york. kenny, good to have you back. >> thanks for having me. great to be here. >> we have some great dishes here, starting with barbecue ribs. why ribs? >> it's labor day. >> because why not? >> it's the last big grilling weekend of the season, and what better way to finish off the summer than nice barbecued ribs. >> and every chef has their own -- it's a rub. that's the key to a good barbecue. >> everybody has a secret. >> tell me where you put the rub. >> the rub i have, there's about 16 different ingredients -- salt, brown sugar, white sugar, cumin, cayenne -- >> all going to work their way in there? >> yeah, basically. this is baby back ribs. >> wow. >> literally just rub it down on the back, both racks here, turn them over. and you can do this up to 18 to 24 hours ahead of time. you really just want to rub it and rub it like you love it, lester. >> rub it like you love it! then there's going to be a

smoking process here. >> this is a great way to cook ribs and kind of condense it so you don't have to sit in front of the grill for the whole day. >> is this something you can do on your home grill, with the whole smoking thing. >> exactly. so, i'm putting the babibacks on here, but i have the wood chips on here. normally, we close the lid at cook at 250 degrees -- >> did you soak the chips? >> yes, for five minutes so they don't burn up right away and they get to dry up. >> and it gives it that fully smokey flavor. >> exactly. >> you do that how long? leave them on here? >> about two hours at 250 degrees. then what i do is i come over here and actually, i take the ribs off and i make a little foil pouch here. >> i'm drooling. are you drooling? >> well, i will be drooling soon. we're getting to the salad and i'm excited about that. >> this is a little pineapple juice. you can also use apple juice. >> wow. >> and i put a little bit on the bottom, seal this up. >> then put it back on the grill. >> put it back on the grill. >> for how long? >> about another hour, and then

it actually, it steams a little bit, softens the ribs and gets some of that sweetness from the juice right into the ribs, which is nice. >> kenny, i don't even eat ribs and i'm so excited. that sounds amazing just the way you described it. >> so, then here i have a rack that i've taken off. just finish it off. we take it out of the foil and we put it on for about another half an hour, just until the ribs are ready. they're nice and -- >> this is an all-day process. >> well, no, probably two or three hours. >> okay. >> they're nice and pliable. this is where i sauce them. >> mm-mmm. >> nice mop. >> look at that. >> and here's the final product over here. >> final product. >> looks gorgeous. >> looking good. >> looks amazing. >> cut a couple ribs. >> dig in, lester, with your hand. >> i'm going to try one. let me try and you guys -- >> you can have mine. >> -- still working on the salad. >> so now we're into my territory here. you say a nice side is a healthy, easy salad. >> this is easy to do on the

grill. i have portabella mushrooms that i marinated, extra virgin olive oil, asparagus, you can use zucchini, any greens this time of year. >> sure. >> so here's some shallots, a little bit of sherry wine vinegar, a little extra virgin olive oil. if you can stir that up for me. >> i could, and i will. >> there you go. a little bit of sea salt, cracked black pepper. here i have my grilled asparagus already, portabella mushrooms. just going to add my cherry tomatoes -- >> oh! it just looks -- >> if you can use the spoon here and stir that up for me, if you would. >> yes. >> i'm going to add a little fresh basil. >> and what kind of cheese is this that you have? >> this is feta cheese. it's a greek cheese. it's a little bit on the briny side, but really nice with tomatoes, summertime. >> just beautiful! it looks so fresh. >> i'm going to add a little bit more salt, a little more pepper. >> how awesome is that? >> can i have all of this? >> you can have it, take it home, eat it for lunch tomorrow. >> i eat this breakfast, lunch

and dinner, kenny. this, probably with the ribs, makes for an incredible combination. >> oh, this is great. we have some lovell deviled eggs, some pickled chow chow, key lime pie. >> why key lime? >> it's americana, from key west, florida. everybody loves key lime. it's hot in the summertime. it's just a nice, tangy pie. we serve it ice cold at blue smoke, so it's refreshing. >> ribs were excellent! falling off the bone good. great having you here. have a great labor day. appreciate it. >> you as well janua. thank you for being here. tomorrow, you're going to learn how to be -- >> i am going to be a mermaid. >> tomorrow. >> we'll be having a huge transformation tomorrow, one time only. so check it out tomorrow. it won't happen again. >> but we're actually going to commercial. we're actually not done yet! ♪ >> you know what it is? you got to work so late that you want the show to be over already! all your timing is off!

>> there's a lot of therapy here. i'll be right back. ♪ that's hard to paint, really wants to be painted? we break out new behr ultra with stain-blocker from the home depot... ...the best selling paint and primer in one that now eliminates stains. so it paints over stained surfaces, scuffed surfaces, just about any surface. what do you say we go where no paint has gone before, and end up some place beautiful. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get $5 off one gallon cans of our best paint, including behr ultra, now through september 5th.

for their "destination wedding." double miles you can "actually" use. but with those single mile travel cards... [ bridesmaid ] blacked out... but i'm a bridesmaid. oh! "x" marks the spot she'll never sit. but i bought a dress! a toast... ...to the capital one venture card. fly any airline, any flight, anytime. double miles you can actually use. what a coincidence? what's in your wallet? [ all screaming ] watch the elbows ladies. that is going to do it for us. kenny, again, thank you so much. mandy and bill, bon appetit!

>> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> again, we mentioned tomorrow i'm going to be a mermaid and we've got more. >> and how a soldier's making a big impact on the u.s. open. see you on "nightly news."

>> this is wbal tv-11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning and welcome to 11 news saturday morning, i'm jennifer franciotti. >> and i'm lisa robinson. police are investigating two separate deadly stabbings in baltimore county. the first one happened in the 7100 block of darlington drive in parkville. police say a man was stabbed multiple times at a bar called the bee's place at 1:30 a.m. the victim was taken to good samaritan where he later died. the second happened at 2:50 this morning. a baltimore county police officer is recovering this morning after an accident in catonsville. this was the scene from sky team 11 around 4:30 p.m. friday at

johnnycake road and ingleside avenue after a police cruiser and another car collided. the officer was taken to shock trauma with non-life-threatening injuries. it's unclear if the officer was responding to a call at the time. the accident is under investigation. the alleged gunman in the perry hall high school shooting is under mental supervision at a state psychiatric hospital and this morning baltimore county police chief james johnson reveals that the weapon robert gladden jr. allegedly used was an antique shotgun found unlocked in his father's home. meanwhile, the victim, 17-year-old daniel, remains in critical condition after suffering a bruised lung and fractured rib. he has had a breathing tube most of the week. daniel's family and friends are grateful for the support from the community. >> time is 8:57, 78 degrees on tv hill. here's a look on what's coming up next on 11 news saturday

morning. >> the grand prix is back in town. we will take you live downtown for a look at what's going to this weekend. >> it got her a first place award. >> rain moving across town. we will see what the rest of the weekend holds weather-wise coming up.